Strings baritone volume and Pepe Romero UBB and UkeLogic string sets

[Papa John]

I have a Zimnicki baritone...cedar and koa with 20" scale. It is beautiful. It is also as quiet as a Kanile'a baritone. I've owned this twice, buying it new from Elderly, selling it and reacquiring it after the top was refinished, thinking "thinner wood...louder". not so.
I have been working with different strings and have really found something that works on a quiet baritone.
The 2 fluorocarbon B and E strings from the Pepe Romero set called baby baritone will live with the extra tension of a 20" scale and they just ring...loud! For the G, I use the UkeLogic .030 brass smoothwound. This string can be used for both the D and the G and I do use them that way on my other 20" scale baritones.
For the D on the Zimnicki, I think a .033 D'Adarrio high tension classical guitar string sounds best.
I know this won't be for everyone but if you've got a favorite baritone out there that you'd like to be a little louder, this really worked for me. The Zimnicki totally changed with these strings.

 

[about2]

That's really interesting John. I've attempted to solve the problem by moving to spruce topped Bari's....but this solution sounds a lot easier.

So the Baby Bari strings are long enough - even though they are designed for a tenor? Wow.

I love the Uke Logic smooth round G. I believe it is the same string marketed as Pepe Romero's low G. Its my favorite low G. Is the D string available as a single string or did you have to buy the set?

 

[Papa John]

way long enough...cut about 8" off. The D/G .030 gold smoothwound is available as a single.

 

[hands_on_lanzon]

I feel like you're trying to kill my baritone UAS vibe and it's making me uncomfortable! I have a Kanilea K1-B and I can't wait to try out your string combo!

 

[Papa John]

I feel like you're trying to kill my baritone UAS vibe and it's making me uncomfortable! I have a Kanilea K1-B and I can't wait to try out your string combo!

don't mean too...and I don't mean to pick on Kanile'a's. Kanile'a builds a beautiful baritone. The body is a little shallower than most and the tone and volume just not for me. Their long neck tenor is the best i've played. The strings just really light a fire under the Zimnicki. I'm gonna put them on another baritone when I get some more.

 

[hands_on_lanzon]

don't mean too...and I don't mean to pick on Kanile'a's. Kanile'a builds a beautiful baritone. The body is a little shallower than most and the tone and volume just not for me. Their long neck tenor is the best if played. The strings just really light a fire under the Zimnicki. I'm gonna put them on another baritone when I get some more.

I'm totally joking! I enjoy my K1-B and it would be nice to try some different strings on it... buuuut I think I still have a pono in my sights for the future.

 

[Papa John]

I'm totally joking! I enjoy my K1-B and it would be nice to try some different strings on it... buuuut I think I still have a pono in my sights for the future.

Pono's have a lot of "bang for the buck". I have a friend who's selling his mango 8 string baritone...I'm stewing on that right now.

 

[about2]

Ah - I find it marvelous to experiment. Finding the right string set is pretty fun. I recently put the set of Aho's on a bari. The strings were recommended by the guys at the ukulele site and can only be found there. They have a smoothwound gold alloy D string, a Thomastik Infeld flatwound G string, and fluorocarbon for the B and E. I put them on my Flight Caraboa Bari (solid spruce top and solid mango b&s). Reminds me somewhat of what you are doing John. Its the best I've tried so far. They sound great on the Flight.

Ko'olau Aho Fluorocarbon Strings - Baritone

This is a new offering exclusive to our store. These are high-quality fluorocarbon strings at a great value and this has become one of our favorite sets on baritone. This set is made for a linear D-G-B-E baritone ukulele. It has a smoothwound gold alloy D string, a Thomastik Infeld flatwound G...

theukulelesite.com

 

[Papa John]

I've made a change. The Romero D string is also OK with the longer scale and is the best sounding so far, although on the Zimnicki, I had to file the bridge and nut slots to allow for the larger gauge..

 

[about2]

I've made a change. The Romero D string is also OK with the longer scale and is the best sounding so far, although on the Zimnicki, I had to file the bridge and nut slots to allow for the larger gauge..

That’s interesting. The set I mentioned above uses, if I’m not mistaken, the same string as their d. I assume you tried a thomastik as a d.

And how did the baby bari d and g strings work for you? Were they too much tension in combo with the b and e?

 

[bbkobabe]

So the Baby Bari strings are long enough - even though they are designed for a tenor? Wow.

I'm pretty sure they are guitar length strings... on my Pono tenor, I cut off a foot or more... And they sure made my tenor LOUD!!!

Which I love...

 

[bbkobabe]

Pono's have a lot of "bang for the buck". I have a friend who's selling his mango 8 string baritone...I'm stewing on that right now.

I just bought a Bruce Wei 8 string tenor that I am absolutely in love with... Take the plunge, I say!

 

[Papa John]

Well, the Pepe Romero string hold the tension of the 20" scale OK but I soon got tired of playing with it, leaving me with a comfortable to play but quiet baritone ukulele. Next step is a little more drastic but it really works.

 

[jkib]

Did you cut the side sound hole?

 

[about2]

Wow. I think he did! Not sure I could do that to a quality uke. Wouldn't mind practicing on some of my cheapies, but wow.

 

[Papa John]

it's not hard to do. very sharp 3/8 bit and multiple holes until you can get center out. then a rotary sanding disc in a drill. koa is very tuff wood. the gloss finish requires some extra care. I've done 3. 2 have been a success. this one was the hardest with the gloss.

 

[about2]

Thanks for the encouragement. I’ve only had one uke w a side port. I’m not sure it made a huge difference. Maybe the port was too small. Looks like yours is a good size.

2 out of 3 isn’t bad. What do you think was wrong with the third one?

 

[about2]

Okay, I just put a set of Pepe's baby baritone strings on my Caraboa baritone by Flight. They bring out some amazing overtones. Lovely. But the string tension is high. Gonna see what they are like once they settle. I've experimented with three sets of strings recently trying to get the best tone out of this bari. I'll try to post the results soon. Thanks John for the idea!